Brown's Top 50 Football Players of All-Time Voted To 125th Anniversary Team

Nov 02, 2003

Nov. 2, 2003

Providence, RI -
Joe Paterno '50, the legendary Penn State football coach who holds Brown's record for interceptions in a career; Fritz Pollard '19, the first black collegian to play in the Rose Bowl; Paul Choquette, Jr. '60, a member of the Ivy League's Silver Anniversary Team; Steve Jordan '82, a great tight end for the Bears who went on to be a seven time all-pro with the Minnesota Vikings; Don Colo '50, defensive captain of the World Champion Cleveland Browns; and James Perry '00, the all-time leading passer in Ivy League football history. These are just a few of the former Brown Football greats named to Brown's 50-player 125th Anniversary Team.

The 125th Anniversary Team was announced at a gala dinner held at the Westin Hotel on Saturday, November 1, 2003, hosted by ESPN's Chris Berman `77, the former radio voice of Brown football. Among those in the crowd of over 680 in attendance were Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri '65, a member of Brown Football's All-Decade Team of the 1960's, and Brown University President Ruth Simmons.

For the past two months, Brown football alumni and fans have cast their ballot to select Brown's 125th Anniversary Team, voting from a ballot that included all-time Brown teams from each decade in Bruno football history. Over 1,500 ballots were returned through the mail and via the internet in an effort to select the top 22 players on offense, the top 22 on defense, and the top six special teams players (kicker, punter, return specialist).

"The response has been tremendous to this season-long celebration of 125 years of Brown Football," said Brown athletic director David Roach. "It's been exciting to look back at the individuals and teams who have meant so much to Brown. The 125th Team spans all the decades and important eras of Brown Football."

Players from every decade, starting in 1910, are represented on Brown's 125th Anniversary Team. Statistically, 12 players were named from the most current era (1990-2002), followed by the 1980's (9 players), 1970's (9 players), 1950's (6 players), 1920's (4 players), three players each from the 1930's, 1940's, and 1960's, and one player from 1910-1919.

The Brown Athletic Department, the Brown Football Association and the Brown Sports Foundation have all collaborated on the year-long 125th Anniversary celebration. "The team has representation all the way back to 1916, and those who voted demonstrated a great deal of respect for our entire history," said Ron Dalgliesh `92, the Executive Director of the Brown University Sports Foundation. "The entire 125th anniversary celebration has been an overwhelming success. We have had a great response from our football alumni and fans, the local community, and from everyone at Brown. The celebration clearly demonstrates that those who have been involved with Brown Football have a great deal of pride in our tradition."

"The excitement and anticipation surrounding this team has been incredible," continued Dalgliesh. "Our gala celebration, where we first announced the 125th squad, was the biggest athletic special event in our history, with more the 670 people in attendance."

The origins of Brown football date back to 1898 when the Bears battled the Lord Jeff's of Amherst. It continues to modern day where Brown's wide-open offense of recent vintage changed the face of Ivy League football. Along the way, many Brown teams left their mark on Brown's Football history.

Brown's 1915 team played in the first official Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California in 1916. The 9-0-1 Iron Men of 1926 had its starting 11 play 60 minutes without substitution on consecutive weeks against Yale and Dartmouth and well into the fourth quarter against Harvard. The 1949 Brown team's only blemish came on an early season game at Princeton. Brown Football earned Ivy League Championships in both 1976 and 1999.

Guiding these special 50 players on Brown's 125th Anniversary Team are some of the greatest coaches in the annals of intercollegiate football history. Coach Edward North Robinson, Brown Class of 1896, is a National College Football Hall of Fame member whose influence spanned more than a quarter of a century. Rip Engle is another National College Football Hall of Fame coach, who found success at Brown and Penn State. Tuss McLaughry coached Brown to an unbeaten 1926 season and to one-loss seasons in 1928 and 1932. Alva Kelly was known as one of the nation's top tacticians. Coach John Anderson posted eight straight winning seasons (1973-1980) and guided the Bears to their first Ivy League Championship in 1976. Mark Whipple '79 took over the coaching reins in 1994 and laid the groundwork for the 1990's success of Brown Football. Phil Estes directed the Bears to their second Ivy championship in 1999 and coached the Class of 2000 to the best four-year mark in Brown history. While John Heisman, for whom the Heisman Trophy is named, didn't coach at Brown, he played club football on College Hill from 1887 to 1889.

Brown Football: 125th Anniversary Team

OFFENSE
Quarterbacks (2):

Robert Hall '66 - Bulger Lowe Award winner as the Outstanding Player in New England; first team All-Ivy; All-American selection in 1965; said coach JJ McLaughry in 1965, "I'd have to say he's the best offensive player I've seen at Brown. And that goes back to 1926."

James Perry '00 - Ivy League Player of the Year; Holds 10 Ivy League passing records, including the career passing mark of 9,294 yards; Bulger Lowe Award winner as the Outstanding Player in New England; three-time first team All-Ivy; NE Sportswriters Gold Helmet of the Year.

Backs (4):

Paul Choquette, Jr. '60 - two-time first team All-Ivy; named to Ivy League Silver Anniversary team; Brown's all-time career rusher when he graduated; honorable mention All-American; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame.

Jackson Keefer '25 - two-time Walter Camp third team All-American; electrifying runner who is a member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; scored 106 points in only two seasons; went on to play for Dayton in the National Football League.

Michael Malan '02 - Brown's all-time career rusher with 3,266 yards; two-time first team All-Ivy; Brown record holder for single season rushing (1,213 yards), and single game rushing (267 yards); All-American; Brown's all-time career scoring leader.

Fritz Pollard '19 - Walter Camp first team All-American, and first African-American All-American back; first African-American to play in the Rose Bowl (1916); member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; went on to become the first African-American quarterback and head coach in the National Football League.

Wide Receivers (4):

Stephen Campbell '01 - holds NCAA record for single season receptions with 120; Walter Camp First Team All-American; Bulger Lowe Award winner as the top player in New England; three-time first team All-Ivy; Brown's all-time punt return leader; holds Ivy League record with 305 receptions.

Robert Farnham '77 - two-time first team All-Ivy selection; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; honorable mention All-American; two-time All-New England and All-ECAC selection; Brown's all-time reception leader when he graduated; led the Ivy League in receptions in 1975 and 1976.

Chas Gessner '03 - tied NCAA record with 24 receptions vs. Rhode Island; two-time first team All-Ivy; led nation in receiving for two consecutive seasons; first team All-American; Walter Payton Award finalist as the nation's top I-AA player; ranks second in the Ivy League record book with 292 receptions.

Sean Morey '99 - Ivy League Player of the Year (1997) and Rookie of the Year (1995); only Brown football player to have his number retired (#24); First Team All-American; three-time first team All-Ivy; holds five Ivy League receiving records, including reception yards (3,850) and touchdown receptions (39).

Tight Ends (2):

Paul Choquette, III '97 -first team All-American as a senior; first team All-Ivy; All-New England selection; played in the Blue-Gray College All-Star Game.

Steve Jordan '82 - two-time first team All-Ivy selection; All-New England; held Brown record for receiving yards in a game (188 vs. Penn) when he graduated; went on to be a six-time All-Pro with the Minnesota Vikings; Brown Athletic Hall of Fame.

Offensive Line (10):

Louis Farber '29 - started on the famed 1926 Iron Men team as a sophomore; two-time All-American; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; coach Tuss McLaughry described him as, "tough, aggressive and smart."

Drew Inzer '01 - first team All-Ivy selection; honorable mention All-American; captain of the 1999 team; played professional football for the Jacksonville Jaguars and earned a Super Bowl ring with the New England Patriots.

Paul Mackesey '32 - oldest living Brown football All-Decade Team member; All-American selection; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; two-time All-East and All-American selection; former Brown Athletic Director.

Bob Mangiacotti '84 - first team All-Ivy selection; three-year starter for the Bears; earned the Brown Football Association award as Brown's top offensive lineman as a senior.

Jim McGuinness '56 - member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; named to the All-Ivy Team of the Decade; All-American selection as a senior.

Lou Regine '48 - All-American; All-New England selection; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; 1947 team captain; coach Skip Staley said, "Lou was a superb downfield blocker...and inspired his teammates to perform to their full potential."

John Sinnott '80 - two-time first team All-Ivy selection; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; named to the Ivy League Silver Anniversary Team; All-New England and All-ECAC selection; went on to a successful NFL career with several teams including the NY Giants and Baltimore Colts.

Orland Smith '27 - played on the famed 1926 Iron Men team; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; selected by Grantland Rice as an All-American tackle in 1926; went on to play in the National Football League; coach Tuss McLaughry described him as a player who, "always went for the jugular."

Don Warburton '59 - two-time first team All-Ivy; two-time All-American selection; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; named to the All-Ivy Team of the Decade.

DEFENSE

Defensive Backs (8):

Ron Brown '79 - two-time first team All-Ivy; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; two-time All-New England choice; his 115 career tackles caused coach John Anderson to call him, "the best safety I ever had;" All-East selection; he is currently coaching at the University of Nebraska.

John McLaughry '40 - two-time All-American; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; Grantland Rice called McLaughry, "the best defensive back in the East in 1938;" played in the East-West Shrine Game; All-East selection; captained the College All-Stars to a victory over the New York Football Giants.

Greg Parker '97 - first team All-Ivy selection; co-holder with Joe Paterno of the Brown record for interceptions in career with 14; All-New England selection.

Roderic Parson '99 - first team All-American; All-Ivy selection for the Bears; ranks fourth in all-time Brown career interceptions; holds the Brown record for interceptions in a season (8 in 1997).

Joe Paterno '50 - co-holds Brown record for interceptions in a season with 14; his 350 punt return yards still ranks third in the Brown record book; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; his 290 interception return yards are first in the Brown record book; went on to become the a legendary head coach at Penn State.

Roy "Red" Randall '28 - was the on-field leader of the famed 1926 Iron Men team; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; Captain of the 1927 team; AP All-American.

David Zucconi '55 - member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; he was a fleet-footed runner who provided spirited leadership on both sides of the ball; called "Mr. Brown" for his selfless commitment to Brown.

John Prassas '81 - member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; considered the "unsung hero" of the football team; went on to play for the Calgary Stampede of the CFL for two years.

John Woodring '81 - member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; his 135 tackles in 1980 rank second in the Brown record book; Named to the Ivy League Silver Anniversary Team; All-American selection; All-East honoree; went on to enjoy a successful five-year NFL career with the New York Jets.

Defensive Line (8):

Don Colo '50 - member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; went on to enjoy a successful NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, winning a World Championship and serving seven years as team captain.

John Daniel '84 - three-time All-Ivy selection; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; co-captain in 1983; ECAC All-Star; three-year starter at middle guard, who averaged over 80 tackles a season.

Brendan Finneran '97 - three-time All-Ivy player who was a two-time first team All-Ivy selection; four-year starter who is considered the first freshman to ever start for Brown.

Mike Lancaster '79 - first team All-Ivy selection; a tackle who coach John Anderson said, "he's a great pass rusher, who has strength and excellent quickness;" made 54 tackles as a junior and 62 tackles as a senior.

Ted Moskala '86 - first team All-Ivy selection; football team tri-captain as a senior; All-American; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame;

Joe Randall '67 - two-time first team All-Ivy; member of the Ivy League Silver Anniversary Team; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; holds Brown record with 82 yard punt; holds the Brown record for career punting average; also holds Brown records for punting average in a season (42.7 in 1966) and in a game (57.0).

Place Kickers (2):

Jose Violante '76 - three-time first team All-Ivy selection; member of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame; member of the Ivy League Silver Anniversary Team; has four of the top five longest field goals in the Brown record book; his 51 yard field goal vs. Penn is seventh best in Ivy League history.

Bob Warden '95 - first team All-Ivy selection; Associated Press 3rd Team All-American; holds Brown record for field goals in a season with 14 in 1994.

Return Specialists (2):

Joe Jamiel '80 - ranks 8th in all-time Brown punt return yards; led the Ivy League in kickoff return average in 1977.

Dave Jollin '68 - holds the Brown record for punt return yards in a game (164 vs. URI in 1966); ranks 9th in all-time Brown kickoff return yards, and 4th in all-time punt return yards; His 86 yard punt return is third in the Brown record book.